Hopkins School 986 Forest Road New Haven, CT
Vol LXVII no. 2
October 30, 2020
Students and Faculty Adjust to Hybrid Model Melody Cui ’23 Assistant News Editor Aanya Panyadahundi ’23 Assistant News Editor
Through the implementation of new technology and approaches to teachers are striving to make the most of the hybrid learning environment. An integral part of the hybrid learning model is the Meeting Owl, which has been added to every classroom. Some tools of the Owl include smart mics, a 360° tri-speaker, and a 360° camera that tracks the current speaker. The Owl is connected to Zoom to provide virtual students with an in-class feel. Reception of the Owl has varied from teacher to teacher. Science teacher Kellie Cox reports that the Owl is “actually working quite well!” On the other hand, Math teacher David McCord remarks that the Owl feels like “a useless appendage.” McCord elaborates, “I now just point it at the class and forget about it.” Meanwhile, fellow Math teacher Adam Sperling concludes “The Owl has been ok. I'd love to say it is amazing, but it's just ok.” ties from the Zoom side of things. A survey taken of Hopkins students found that the majority of students found the video quality of the Owl to be a 3 out of 5. Josie Lipcan ’24 explains, “I feel like the Owls don't really focus on the teachers, students, or on
things like white boards that well.” Similarly, response to the audio quality was subpar. Zacchary Edwards ’23 states, “Aside from the teachers […] you can barely hear anyone through the Owl.” In addition to the Owl, many teachers are using other personal technology in order to further facilitate a normal
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Administration Rolls Out Reopening Plan Anushree Vashist ’21 Lead News Editor
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge America, schools across the nation have adapted to new
Melody Cui
Math teacher Abraham Kirby-Galen teaches both his students in the classroom and those at home with the help of the Owl. classroom. Drama teacher Hope Hartup “[connects] an iPad on a tripod to show the class” and “[her] phone on another tripod just for [her] face.” In his English and Video courses, teacher Ian Melchinger employs the use of “two webcams on separate Zoom IDs” and “a studio Continued on Page 3
learning environments. While most of the nation’s largest public school districts are continuing fully remote instruction, many Connecticut schools have reopened to some extent. Hopkins has started the 2020-21 school year with a Hybrid Model; students are divided into maroon and grey cohorts, with each group spending a week at a
time on campus. In order to implement such a plan, the administration made multiple health and safety accommodations. Head of School Kai Bynum created eight task forces to plan and maintain safety and learning challenges alike. According to Director of Medical Services and Head Athletic Trainer for Sports Medicine Don Bagnall, “The tasks forces look to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], Science Journal, State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, medical contacts, and consulting school physicians.” Bagnall also says that Task Force chairpersons continue to meet regularly about every two weeks. Plans for Reopening commenced at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Assistant Head of School John Roberts notes that “the premise coming out of Memorial Day Weekend was that we were going to try to do a hybrid, a population reduction strategy.” After considering the feedback of parents, students, and faculty alike, the administration determined that while the entirely remote strategy of the Spring provided a “good basic academic experience,” students missed the human connections of being physically on campus; thus, administrators sought to bring the community back on The Hill. The resulting hybrid model took into consideration the advice of epidemioloContinued on Page 2
Hopkins Students March in Protest for BLM Anjali Subramanian ’22 News Editor
ing in New Haven. I thought: ‘why can't West Haven have protests like these?’” Dondorful-Amos says that she “decided to take the initiative.” Along with her sis-
reach out to us. It’s a little ironic because we’re marching to defund the police, but the police are asking if they
is planned, the group advertises it by posting on social media. Each protest begins with protesters gathering at Many Hopkins students are particisome location in the center of the city. From there, they pants and leaders in the protests and events for the Black march to either the local police department or governLives Matter [BLM] movement that have swept ment building, making frequent stops to chant through New Haven and West Haven since May. and hear speeches from Black people. In one protest, on May 31, in addition to marching to on May 31, followed by protests on June 1 and the New Haven Police Department, protesters June 5, an Anti-Fourth of July protest, and a prowalked onto the highway. Alexis Chang extest for Breonna Taylor on September 28. Jasmine Simmons ’21 attended some of these protests way because so many people that cared about because she “needed an outlet for [her] frustrasomething came together. I’ve never seen anytion and hurt.” She continues, “I felt hopeless at thing or been a part of something like that.” times, and I saw the protests as an opportunity Speeches at the protests included “stufor me to feel community and hope for change.” dents describing their struggles of being a person Similar events were held in West Haof color in their academic setting,” Dondorfulven, such as a protest on June 6 and July 5. Amos explains. She also recalls listening to Nana Dondorful-Amos ’22 went to these events “Mubarak Soulemane’s very own sister speak,” because “West Haven [was] so silent on raand “hearing the heartbreak in her voice” at the cial issues, though their police department is West Haven protest on June 6. Alexis Chang guilty of the death of Mubarak Soulemane.” Talia Chang gave her own speech on the racism Black artMubarak Soulemane was shot seven times by ists face in the music industry. She elaborates, State Trooper Brian North in West Haven while During the May 31 BLM protest, activists march onto the highway. hop or R&B. And whenever a Black artist [works Most of these protests were organized by the its protests. She details the planning process, “We pick a in] any other genre, everybody gets confused. I rememNew Haven chapter of BLM or by CT Against Brutime and a place, we see if anybody wants to speak, and tality, an organization founded by Dondorful-Amos and her sister. Dondorful-Amos explains, “It was the we get people to bring resources like water, granola bars, Continued on Page 3 beginning of June, and I saw all the protests happen- and masks.” She also notes that “sometimes the police and have continued to organize more protests since. Alexis Chang ’21 joined CT Against Brutality soon after its founding, and has helped organize many of